And now for something completely different.....

Julia's favorite stamps>>>>>>>>
A picture of Julia...She's so funny!>>>>>>>>>
Okay, we are doing something a bit different on this post. Julia Roth (who sent us samples) and myself have been chatting back and forth via emails. I thought -"Hey, why don't we share some of this conversation with everyone." So here it goes......

Deena: Thanks for your email! I am glad you like the stamps. Let us know when you need some more stamps.....D

Julia: I see on your blog that you are posting samples and I have sent some for you. Please don't feel like you have to post them. I am pumped by your stamps and have so many ideas!!!! Julia
Deena: Have you tried the watercolor technique with the Reflection stamp yet?

Julia: Tell me one more time what to do.

Deena: There are several different techniques for this look. Here is one:

Using a piece of watercolor paper (of course regular cardstock will work) stamp Reflection (AS 21 E) with a Black Memories ink pad. Gather your watercolor pencils or markers and color the images working from the outer part of the image inward. (lighter touch with the open areas- this will create shading). Once you have the color down, (it will still look a bit odd) use a paintbrush and dip it in water and "paint" from the outer edges inward. You are actually moving the color around. If you need to add more color you can either 1.Use a scrap piece of paper like a palette, take your color pencil and scrub some color down and use your wet paint brush to pick up additional colors. 2. Use a piece of release paper, acetate, or plastic wrap to add color from your markers. Then use your brush to add color.

Another technique is to not use the black ink and use your markers directly on your stamp. After full coverage on your stamp, huff on your stamp, or mists very lightly and stamp, then use your brush to fade the clean lines and give it the watercolor look.

Julia: WOW! I can not wait to try this. I saw you do this in Ohio and I took notes but I was nervous to try. I will try it and let you know what happens.

Deena: If you have any more questions please drop me a note. And we always love to see what you are doing.

Julia: I will send you more samples. I also sent you a "list" of my favorite stamps. Well, the ones I love, love, love this week! Thanks for everything!!!

Amy Anderson strikes again!

These spectacular samples were done by Amy Anderson of Yukon, Oklahoma. She is one of our good friends! We are traveling to Seattle ( then on to Fort Worden) for Artfest in about a month! Amy always does an amazing job with anything she does. She has a blogspot at http://www.doboldthings.blogspot.com/ . You ought to shimmy on over to take a view. Oh, and a quick note, the stamp of Venice was made from a photo I took there.

More to come...

ATCs by Julia Roth

Here are a couple of samples sent in by Julia Roth of Sacramento,

California. She read our challenge and sent us some samples. We met Julia at Stampaway, in Cincinnati, Ohio last August. She has made plans to be there again this year! Yippy! We love meeting and keeping in touch with our customers/friends.

Julia created the ATCs with these stamps: card one So little time (GT 31 E),

Read (GT 40 C), card two Praying mantis sm (NT 25 E), Bamboo leaf lg (PM 19 C),

Bamboo leaf sm (PM 18 A), and Poem background (AS 28 J).

ATCs by Shelli

Here are four ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) made by Shelli Andrews in NY.

She sent these in and we are happy to be posting them! They are part of the challenge I had posted about creating art. Thank you Shelli for these cards. ATCs are small works of art that are typically 2.5"x 3.5". They can be collage works, stamped, painted, printed, stenciled, punched, embellished, and actually no holds barred!

The first ATC on the top uses the stamps; Visionary duo (RE 08 F),

Fence (PM 01 F), Mona sm (WI 46 D). The second card uses;

Owl cube (NT 58 H), Starry night (SP 05 C), and Tennyson (GT 37 E).

The second row, first card uses the stamps Majestic (TR 25 G) and

Dandy (NT 57 D). The second card includes Dance LC (EL 32 F),

Fence (PM 01 F), Shall we (EL 26 E), and Starry night (SP 05 C).

Trumpeter Swan

To end our birding adventure yesterday, we traveled to east Norman (Oklahoma) and found these wild Trumpeter Swans. They are currently hanging out in the Summit Lake addition (off of Alameda street). We saw a total of six. Word has it there are seven swans on the lake. Just a quick note.... the dark shadow on the bottom of each photo was created by the side view mirror....I took the photo from my truck and lined up the mirror just below the view path. TMI....C'est la vie.

Trumpeder

Taking time for the birds!

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Gray-headed Junco

(the one with the rosy color on it's back)

So, my friend Nancy called the other day. She told me that she had seen a Grey-headed Junco. (In Norman, Oklahoma!!!!) These birds are not normally anywhere in Oklahoma! She had contacted some people from the Audubon Society (which she is a member). They came out and documented it. So, yesterday my mother and I hopped in the car and drove over to see it. Amazing! Nancy had birds galore. We also saw a Red-bellied woodpecker, Spotted-Towhee, several type of sparrows, Chickadee, Tufted-Titmouse, Purple Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, Goldfinches and so on...

Here are a few more looks at the Patriotic star book.

Patriotic Star book by Tressa

Here is an awesome patriotic star book made by one of our own....Tressa.
A view from the top

The cover.

Tressa has created this star book for a class being offered in June. And (shocking to none) all the stamps are by DP Artworks! The class will be held at And Bear Makes 3 (Our local stamp store in Moore, Oklahoma). If you have any questions about what stamps were used in this sample please feel free to contact us at dpartworks@yahoo.com.

Thank you to everyone for their response to the little challenge I mentioned in an earlier post! Yowza! It has been non-stop work around here.

(oh, trust me, I am not complaining by any means!)

Time seems to be going by so fast. I can not believe it is already mid-February!

I have so many things to post....So be ready for more post.....

Winter rolls on

Hello there,

As much as we are ready for spring to be here, it is not quite ready for us. I know it is only February, so colder weather is to be expected. I decided to post one of Bobbey's most awesome 3-D cards. It has a winter theme and is spectacular! The four stamps she used are; Peace on earth WI 05 D, Wonderland duo WH 10 E, Seasons LC (long cube) WH 23 F, and Pine background NT 47 J.

The middle photo shows the card closed. This makes it easy to send in the mail or, in our case, take to shows. In August we will have it in Cincinnati at Stampaway.

The bottom photo show the layers of this card. The center layer is embossed using the Pine background stamp. The two other areas that are embossed are the words Peace on earth and Wonderland duo. These are on the front of the card.

So thank you Bobbey for all your awesome cards!!!!

What I really like about the cards the Bobbey creates for us, is that they are so well made. They also inspire so many people. Every time she sends cards it is like Christmas around here! (I do not think she realizes exactly how good she is!)